Map of American Samoa | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Settled as early as 1000 B.C. Samoa was 'discovered' by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.


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Location: Oceania group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S 170 00 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 199 km²
Land: 199 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Comparative: slightly larger than Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 116 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical marine moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April) dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains two coral atolls (Rose Island Swains Island)

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

Natural resources: pumice pumicite

Land use
Arable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 15%
Other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March

Geography
Note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean


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Population: 57,794 (July 2006 est.)
Growth rate: -0.19% (2006 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: American Samoan (US nationals)
Adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups: native Pacific islander 92.9% Asian 2.9% white 1.2% mixed 2.8% other 0.2% (2000 census)

Languages
Note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)

Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50% Roman Catholic 20% Protestant and other 30%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 10,388/female 9,654)
15-64 years: 62.4% (male 18,698/female 17,350)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 633/female 1,071) (2006 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 23.2 years
Male: 22.9 years
Female: 23.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.19% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 22.46 births/1000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 3.27 deaths/1000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: -21.11 migrant(s)/1000 population (2006 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.08 male/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male/female
65 years and over: 0.59 male/female
Total population: 1.06 male/female (2006 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.07 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.66 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.45 deaths/1000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.05 years
Male: 72.48 years
Female: 79.82 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97%
Male: 98%
Female: 97% (1980 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
Conventional short form: American Samoa
Abbreviation: AS

Government type: NA

Capital
Name: Pago Pago
Geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W
Time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern Manu'a Rose Island* Swains Island* Western

Dependent areas

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Flag Day 17 April (1900)

Constitution: ratified 2 June 1966 effective 1 July 1967

Legal system: NA

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
Head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
Cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors
Elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
Election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

Legislative branch
Elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
Election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 18
Note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate

Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]

International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau) IOC SPC UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of the US)
From the us: none (territory of the US)

Flag description: blue with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority a staff and a war club

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location its limited transportation and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $510.1 million (2003 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 3% NA%

Real gdp per capita: $5,800 (2005 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: bananas coconuts vegetables taro breadfruit yams copra pineapples papayas; dairy products livestock

Industries: tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels) handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 17,630 (2005)
By occupation agriculture: 34%
By occupation industry: 33%
By occupation services: 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 29.8% (2005)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
Expenditures: $127 million; including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY96/97)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $445.6 million (FY04 est.)
Commodities: canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)
Partners: Indonesia 28.2% India 22.3% Australia 15.3% Japan 11.2% NZ 7.1% (2005)

Imports: $308.8 million (FY04 est.)
Commodities: materials for canneries 56% food 8% petroleum products 7% machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)
Partners: Australia 66% Samoa 13.8% NZ 10.8% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used


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Electricity
Production: 130 million kWh (2003)
Consumption: 120.9 million kWh (2003)
Exports: 0 kWh (2003)
Imports: 0 kWh (2003)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2003 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2003 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 15,000 (2001)
Mobile cellular: 2,377 (1999)

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
International: country code - 684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .as
Hosts: 1456 (2006)
Users: NA

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 3 (2006)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2006)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 185 km (2004)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Pago Pago


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs